Growing up in Maplewood, New Jersey, singer-songwriter powerhouse Ally Salort discovered her passion for music at an early age, asking for voice lessons at just seven years old after watching her older brother perform.
That early spark quickly evolved into something bigger when, at 14, she was flown to Los Angeles as a finalist in a national talent search.
Reflecting on the experience, Salort says “I randomly applied for this Atlantic Records talent search when I was 14 on a whim and ended up being one of the finalists flown out to LA. I got to sing at the Roxy and record in a studio for the first time and just immediately fell in love with all of it. “
A year later, Salort began sharing covers on YouTube before finding her footing on TikTok, where her blend of powerhouse vocals, vulnerability, and heartfelt songwriting earned her a dedicated and ever-growing fanbase.
Inspired by artists who embrace emotional honesty and fearless self-expression, Salort points to Fiona Apple’s emotional depth and Ariana Grande’s vocal artistry as two major influences. She goes into detail, saying “‘I Know’ by Fiona Apple is a favorite for sure. I think I just admire her unapologetic approach to songwriting. She’s someone I will think about if I ever need a push to say something super honest in a song. Ariana has been my inspiration forever. I learned to sing by watching her youtube covers back in 2014.”
Now, Salort enters a defining new era with her latest EP, Isn’t It Sweeter? via Disruptor Records/RCA Records, a project that captures her embracing her voice with newfound confidence, self-assurance, and artistic clarity.
At the heart of the EP is the idea that no matter where life takes you, you’re still carrying pieces of yourself along the way.
Explaining the inspiration behind the project’s title and overarching themes, Salort says “I wrote some of these songs in London and kept thinking of the idea that wherever you go, you’re still you. Cause although I was a million miles away from home, I was still writing about the same things, problems, and people. That concept really inspired the visuals and the title, 'Isn’t it sweeter?' is like a play on ‘the grass is always greener’ to me. Also, one of the songs on the EP, ‘A Little More Fun’ has that lyric in the chorus and I remember walking down the streets of NY with my manager going back and forth about what the EP title should be. And then I thought of that lyric and how it kind of sums up the whole theme perfectly.”
For Salort, the songwriting process often begins with a single phrase or feeling that eventually unfolds into a larger story. She further says “I think every song on the EP started from a title or lyric I had written in my notes. That’s how I’ve been writing for a while now; it helps me focus on one feeling as opposed to my jumbled stream of consciousness.”
When it comes to the most rewarding part of creating music, Salort says the process continues to evolve. “It changes a lot. I would say right now, writing feels the most rewarding. There is truly nothing like the feeling of coming up with a concept that encapsulates exactly what I’m feeling and then hopefully, executing it well.”
While every track on Isn’t It Sweeter? holds its own significance, some songs took unexpected turns during the writing process.
Reflecting on one track that surprised her creatively, Salort shares “The evolution of writing the first track ‘I’ve Never Met Her’ was interesting to me. It started with the chorus melody and I just kept singing it over and over until the words "I've never met her” came out of my mouth. At first I was intending to write around that phrase a little more playfully like thinking it was going to be from the perspective of the morning after an embarrassing night out. But as we kept writing it became something way bigger than that.”
Beyond the songs themselves, Isn’t It Sweeter? carries a distinct visual and emotional world that reflects the themes explored throughout the EP.
When asked what imagery, feeling, or sensory experience she associates with the project; whether it had a particular smell, color, taste, or place attached to it, Salort points to a specific moment in time, answering “I would associate this EP with a rainy day in London. I will always think about that writing trip and the feeling of staying in a hotel for a few weeks by myself when I listen to it. Also, because we made the visuals in London as well. But the specific imagery I see is probably the EP cover art with the indoor furniture mixed in with the outdoor greenery/flowers and mountain-sky backdrop. That feeling of still being you, wherever you are.”
Through creating the EP, Salort also gained a deeper understanding of herself and the ways she processes emotions.
She reflects, “I’ve learned that I can definitely be a bit avoidant when it comes to my feelings. I think I wrote a lot of songs about letting go and being over something when I still hadn’t actually allowed myself to fully feel everything I needed to. But those feelings are going to eventually spill over anyway and you can sort of see that with songs like “Proof” and “Finish Line” where I’m not trying to sugarcoat anything or pretend it’s all good when it’s not.”
Ultimately, Salort views the project as a journey through the process of truly moving on, not by avoiding difficult emotions, but by confronting them head-on. She explains, “There’s a lot of moving on themes within the songs. It starts off as a bit more unhealthy “moving on” like avoidant with the first song “I’ve Never Met Her” but eventually faces the feelings head on to then be able to accept it which I believe is the key to truly getting over something.”
Looking ahead to her next chapter, Salort hopes to continue balancing her love for storytelling with the vocal artistry that first inspired her to pursue music.
She says, “I am hoping to really focus more on the vocals in my songs. I think over the last few years I've fallen so in love with lyrics and storytelling that sometimes the vocal has become an afterthought. When in reality, singing is my first love and the reason I got into this in the first place. So I hope to just find ways to marry the two; still tell a good story while also being able to really sing.”
Connect with Ally Salort: Instagram | TikTok | YouTube
Photo credit: Plastic Fruit
